 
Are you better off alone in the
wilderness? Only you can answer that. I can say that sitting on
top of a mountain or walking through an empty valley is an
entirely different experience when I am alone. It is both more
beautiful and perhaps also more melancholy than it could ever be
with another.
Backpack alone in the wilderness and you begin to realize how
entirely indifferent nature is to you. This trail or that one
it doesn't matter. You might stay warm or get cold, live or die.
The sun rises and then sets. It may take away your chills or
burn your skin. Nature is without intention. This is a part of
its beauty.
There is a lot of food in the mountains. You can eat your
fill of currants at 13,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada of
California. Trout are in small lakes, waiting to be caught if
you need a meal.
The sun can warm you in the morning, the moon can light your way
on night hikes, A misstep here or there, however, and you
could have fallen a thousand feet. Lightning might have struck
you down, or rain might have soaked me and allowed the night air
to freeze me. You must pay more attention when you are alone in
the wilderness.
Is nature malicious? No. It is not benevolent either. It just is what it
is. When you are by myself, you become very aware of my
surroundings. You are aware of any little pain in your
foot or shoulder - but it is an awareness without worry.
This awareness is present when I am awestruck by the brilliance of a
turquoise lake nestled beneath fields of summer snow, in a
hanging valley. This scenery is outside my control or
comprehension. You watch for a moment and nothing happens, but
it is clear that rocks have tumbled into the lake a thousand
times. Here, things happen on a time scale unknown to my senses
or experience. I just look in wonder, thought itself stops, and
You are in a peaceful state of mind - one that doesn't seem
possible in a group.
To experience its beauty in this way, I need to be alone. At
times there is a feeling of loneliness. I want to share the
experience with others. However, the most I really can do is
share the view. Being alone is part of the experience.
However, it's much easier to plan a trip alone. It's difficult to get two
or more friends to schedule time off work on the same dates.
Often, they can't take enough time in any case.
There personal backpacking style differences too. I like to go
lightweight and cheap. Taking a plane to a backpacking
destination, as some of my friends would do, is too expensive. I
could take three trips for the cost of one expensive one. As
much as I would love the company, I'm not willing to give up
those other two trips.
Unlike myself, you may find the camaraderie the most important
part of a backpacking trip. In that case you are not better off
alone. Even if you share my taste for cheap adventure, you may
value that one trip with friends more than three alone.
One final point: Most backpackers don't fully consider the freedom that
comes from being alone. Even the most compatible individuals
will not need breaks at the same time, be hungry at the same
time, want to do the same things or hike the same distance. When
you are alone in the wilderness, there is a natural rhythm and
freedom that can never be there when several people's needs have
to be balanced.
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Knowing a few wild berries you can eat can isn't just about potential
survival situations. It also means you can have delicious
healthy snacks and a good excuse for a break when hiking. Here
are some of the wild foods we ate on one day hike in Glacier
National Park: Blueberries... Service Berries... Rose Hips...
Blackberries... High Bush Cranberries... Strawberries...
Raspberries... Thimbleberries... Currants.
Pitching your tent in the right place can mean staying much
warmer. Cold settles into valleys and cold winds blow up on the
hilltops and mountain tundra. The best locations then, are often
somewhere in between - as long as you can find a level spot to
camp.
A small piece of plastic can make a nice lightweight mat outside
your tent door. It makes it easier to put on shoes without
getting dirt in the tent, and provides a place to cook if you
are careful.
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